Editing Jonestown (section)

===Concerned Relatives===
Meanwhile, in late 1977 and early 1978, the Stoens participated in meetings with other relatives of Jonestown residents at the home of [[Jeannie Mills]], another Temple defector. Together, they called themselves the "Concerned Relatives."<ref name="raven408">{{Harvnb|Reiterman|Jacobs|1982|p=408}}</ref> Tim Stoen engaged in letter-writing campaigns to the [[U.S. Secretary of State]] and the Guyanese government, and traveled to Washington, D.C. to lobby for an official investigation.<ref name="sims">Sims, Hank, [http://www.northcoastjournal.com/092503/cover0925.html ''Tim Stoen's Story''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080515144942/http://www.northcoastjournal.com/092503/cover0925.html|date=15 May 2008}}, North Coast Journal, September 25, 2003</ref> In January 1978, Stoen wrote a [[white paper]] to [[United States Congress|Congress]] detailing his grievances and requesting that [[Member of Congress#United States|congressmen]] write to Burnham; ninety-one congressmen, including [[Leo Ryan]], wrote such letters.<ref name="raven458">{{Harvnb|Reiterman|Jacobs|1982|p=458}}</ref><ref name="hall227">{{Harvnb|Hall|1987|p=227}}</ref>

On 17 February 1978, Jones submitted to an interview with ''[[The San Francisco Examiner|San Francisco Examiner]]'' reporter [[Tim Reiterman]].<ref>{{Harvnb|Reiterman|Jacobs|1982|pp=380–383}}</ref> Reiterman's subsequent story about the Stoen custody battle prompted the immediate threat of a lawsuit by the Temple.<ref name="raven383">{{Harvnb|Reiterman|Jacobs|1982|p=383}}</ref> The repercussions were devastating for the Temple's reputation, and made most former supporters more suspicious of the Temple's claims that it was the victim of a "[[political right|rightist]] vendetta."<ref name="raven383"/> Still, others remained loyal. On the day after Reiterman's article was published, [[Harvey Milk]] – a member of the [[San Francisco Board of Supervisors]] who was supported by the Temple – wrote a letter to [[President of the United States|President]] [[Jimmy Carter]] defending Jones "as a man of the highest character" and stating that Temple defectors were trying to "damage Rev. Jones' reputation" with "apparent bold-faced lies."<ref name="milk_let">Milk, Harvey [http://www.brasscheck.com/jonestown/milk.jpg ''Letter Addressed to President Jimmy Carter, Dated February 19, 1978''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110429202656/http://www.brasscheck.com/jonestown/milk.jpg|date=29 April 2011}}</ref>

On 11 April 1978, the Concerned Relatives distributed a packet of documents, including letters and affidavits, that they titled an "Accusation of Human Rights Violations by Rev. James Warren Jones" to the Peoples Temple, members of the press and members of Congress.<ref>[http://jonestown.sdsu.edu/?page_id=13080 "Accusation of Human Rights Violations by Rev. James Warren Jones. April 11, 1978.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150205012738/http://jonestown.sdsu.edu/?page_id=13080 |date=February 5, 2015}} ''Alternative Considerations of Jonestown and Peoples Temple''. Jonestown Project: San Diego State University.</ref> In June 1978, Layton provided the group with a further affidavit detailing alleged crimes by the Temple and substandard living conditions in Jonestown.<ref name="laytonaff">[http://jonestown.sdsu.edu/?page_id=13072 "Affidavit of Deborah Layton Blakey."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150205013358/http://jonestown.sdsu.edu/?page_id=13072|date=February 5, 2015}} ''Alternative Considerations of Jonestown and Peoples Temple''. Jonestown Project: San Diego State University.</ref>

Tim Stoen represented three members of the Concerned Relatives in lawsuits filed in May and June 1978 against Jones and other Temple members, seeking in excess of $56 million in [[damages]].<ref name="moore259">{{Harvnb|Moore|1985|p=259}}</ref> The Temple, represented by [[Charles Garry]], filed a suit against Stoen on 10 July 1978, seeking $150 million in damages.<ref name="moore268">{{Harvnb|Moore|1985|p=268}}</ref>